Human Journals

Research Article
August 2019 Vol.:16, Issue:1
© All rights are reserved by BERHANU TADESSE et al.

Factors Influences Pharmacy Students' To Elect Pharmacy Field

and Their Future Career Desire
Keywords: Career desire, Career Image, Influencing Factor,
Intended Career, B.Pharm

ABSTRACT

BERHANU TADESSE*1, VIJENDER SINGH2, Pharmacists play important professional roles in the healthcare
sector in areas such as clinical Pharmacy service, drug
VIJETA GUPTA3
development and research, academic, community Pharmacies,
hospital pharmacies, pharmaceutical industries and the public
1.
School of Allied Health Sciences Sharda University, service. Variety of causes influence students’ select of
Greater Noida, UP, India pharmacy as field of study including interest in science fields,
wish to be paid a high salary, want to help people, need for
2.
Dean, School of Pharmacy Sharda University, Greater employment and/or financial security, desire to have a admired
profession, influence of certain individuals. Aim of the research
Noida, UP, India
work was to Assess Factors Influencing Pharmacy Students' to
elect Pharmacy field and their future career desire among
3.
Assistant professor, School of Pharmacy Sharda Sharda University School of Pharmacy, U.P., and India.
University, Greater Noida, UP, India Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study design using
quantitative data collection was employed. Quantitative
Submission: 28 July 2019 methods study using structured Self-administered questionnaire
to assess factors influences pharmacy students' to elect
Accepted: 2 August 2019 pharmacy field and their future career desire. Result: Factors
Published: 30 August 2019 influencing student’s decision to study Pharmacy were
considered in three ways: educational, personal, and career-
related goals. Education related factors that influence Students
were they mentioned subject teacher (86.73%) and careers
teachers (77.55%) at school of Pharmacy as their primary
motivator. Nearly one-fifth of pharmacy students intended to
www.ijppr.humanjournals.com work in hospital/clinical/ community Pharmacy (22.5%) after
graduation. Conclusions: The main factors influencing students’
to elect Pharmacy were: educational, personal, and career-
related goals. The main future career desires of the students
after graduation were Hospital/clinical/community Pharmacies,
R&D and Industries respectively.
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INTRODUCTION

Background

Pharmacists play important professional roles in the healthcare sector in areas such as clinical
Pharmacy service, drug development and research, academic, community Pharmacies,
hospital pharmacies, pharmaceutical related industrial positions and the public service and a
variety of causes influence students’ select of pharmacy as a major including interest in
science fields, wish to be paid a high salary, want to help people, need for employment
and/or financial security, desire to have a admired profession, influence of certain
individuals. (Keshishian 2010)

The traditional role of pharmacist, which focused on preparation or compounding and

dispensing of medicines, is growing and currently, pharmacists are considered as the integral
part of healthcare team, particularly the new generation clinical pharmacists with respect to
patient centered care. (Gudi SK. 2019) Patient-focused education creates an important part of
pharmacy education in advanced countries such as the United States (US) and the United
Kingdom (UK). However, many undergraduate pharmacy programs in emerging countries
are still dominated by traditional pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacy graduates are hardly
qualified to apply their knowledge to patient care. (Al Ghazzawi 2017)

On other hand as the number of community Pharmacists increase; many graduates may not
have the opportunity to work in their most preferred practice area. Based on investigating
market’s needs (El-Hammadi M 2013) it is necessary for pharmacy students to be aware of
all specialties for achieving success in future. But, this is a fact that many students commonly
do not make their preferences until they graduated from their institutions (Wright et al 2004
and Al-Haddad et al 2010).

Statement of the Problem

Pharmaceutical care is a novel concept in the training of pharmacy. Many emerging countries
started the implementation of pharmaceutical care and so many universities started the
Pharm.D. program and others started teaching pharmaceutical care courses for the pharmacy
bachelor degree. (Al-Shdefat RI 2017)

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The growing role of pharmacists in today's society needs the enrolment of students who have
interest and are capable of accept the accountability of providing direct patient care and to be
more aggressively involved in their societies and participate in health professional teamwork
duties parallel to traditional pharmacy responsibilities. Even though pharmaceutical care role
is considered as one of the most exciting and crucial professions, it comes to the gratitude,
scope and the career prospects for Clinical Pharmacy and Pharm. D. Professionals are
unclear in the current scenario of Indian Pharmacy. (Gudi SK. 2019)

There are weak health care systems and the shortage of a skilled health care workforce
among the factors responsible for poor health outcomes seen in developing countries despite
the significant advances in medicine and public health. This critical human resource shortage
severely undermines equitable access to, and rational use of quality essential medicines.
(James PB 2018)

As the number of pharmacists continues to increase; many graduates may not have the
opportunity to work in their most preferred practice area. Based on investigating market’s
needs (El-Hammadi M 2013) it is necessary for pharmacy students to be aware of all these
specialties for achieving success in future. But, this is a fact that many students commonly do
not make their preferences until they graduated from their institutions. (Wright et al 2004 and
Al-Haddad et al 2010).

Significance of Study

Undergraduate Pharmacy student choose of field of Pharmacy depending on different issues.

They have not informed well about the aim the field and the job opportunities they will be
faced in the future. The increment in number of pharmacy personnel and little new job
opportunities in the field is other problem. Pharmaceutical care the newly emerging role of
Pharmacist has no clear scope to apply. The salary is also no giving good motivation to
professional.

Hence, it is fundamental to assess Factors Influences Pharmacy Students' to elect Pharmacy

field and their future career.

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LITERATURE REVIEW

Pharmacy is a multidisciplinary profession, has different career futures like clinical

pharmacy, drug development and research, academic duties, hospital pharmacy, industrial
pharmacy, drug regulation, community and retail pharmacy. Thus give the pharmacy
professionals an open field of practice. It is necessary for pharmacy students to be aware of
all these specialties for achieving success in future. (Wright et al 2004 and Al-Haddad et al
2010).

Several studies were conducted to identify factors that motivate students to choose pharmacy
as their academic major. Studies from the USA stated that encouraging motivating factors
consist of the vision of having many career opportunities, serving others, receiving
inspiration by family members, pharmacists or pharmacy students. Motivational factors also
included career respect and earning potential. Study done in Australian stated that pharmacy
has transitioned from a focus on dispensing and delivering of medications to the health
facility of a range of health services bridging prevention to palliation, to address patients’
needs and diagnoses over the last two decades. (Shen G 2014).

Past research studies have shown that students choose pharmacy as a major for a variety of
reasons. These may include an interest in science, wanting to earn a high salary; a desire to
help people; gaining job or economic security; obtaining a respected career; and the influence
of individuals such as a family member, pharmacist, relative, or friends. (Keshishian F 2011)

The majority wanted to work as hospital clinical pharmacists (83%) and numerous (68%)
thought that Pharm.D graduates are well respected by the general community. Results
indicated that students are uninformed of the existing Pharm.D salaries and have greater
expectations than what is being currently offered in the country. (Nadine et.al, 2014)

Family reinforcement (84.5%), individual interest (71.0%), and to get a medical professional
degree (79.0%) were reported by the majority of the students under investigation as a
personal reason to join pharmacy as a career.

Remarkably, when participants were asked to show their view about the association between
what they had studied and reality of the practice, almost half (47.2%) told “no”
(Abduelkarem et.al 2016).

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Study done in Japan, on three batch cohorts who completed the six-year pharmacy
programme (students who enrolled for their sixth year in April 2011–2013 graduated in
March 2012–2014, respectively), 40% went to work as community pharmacists, 30% became
hospital pharmacists, 12% went to work in a pharmaceutical related industry, 8% became
drug wholesalers or retailers, and 12% pursued other areas of interest. (Nakagomi K et.al
2016)

Study done in New Zealand showed that Pharmacy students were deciding their future
professional career depending on their socio-economic and health care systems all over the
world. There have been several previous international attitude surveys conducted on pre-
career pharmacy students. These studies also examined career preferences on graduation and
the factors that influenced these final career choices. (Capstick et al., 2007)

Studies from the Jordan stated that mean age respondents were 21.96 +/-5.38 years and
68.8% were females. Students mentioned family support (60%) and willing to work in
reputable profession (83.5%) as reasons to study pharmacy. Female students (30.8%)
preferred to work in academia and hospital (P=0.043) while male students preferred working
as medical sales representative (16.7%) and in the pharmaceutical industry (14.1%). Almost
50% agreed that the university provided sufficient information and work experience that
influence their career selection. (Raja’a 2019)

The poor pay rates offered by the community pharmacies in the KSA, which showed that
41.7% of community pharmacists received a salary of less than 5,000 SR and that there
existed a high degree of dissatisfaction about this payment, compared to pharmacists working
in a pharmaceutical company, who receive SR15,000 as their monthly salary. About half of
the respondents (47.4%) expected to receive a salary of more than 3200 USD per month
(SR = 12,000), 28.5% anticipated a salary ranging from 2667 to 3200 USD (SR = 10,000–
12,000), and 9.5% predicted receiving less than 2667 USD (SR = 8000) as their monthly
salary.

This could be a factor that led the students to prefer to work in any other sector than in a
community pharmacy. Personal interest and experience of working in a hospital, community
pharmacy, etc., were the two most important factors that influenced the students’ future
career selection.(Farah K A, 2019)

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MATERIALS AND METHODS

A descriptive cross sectional study design using quantitative data collection method was
employed. Quantitative methods study using structured Self-administered questionnaire to
assess factors influences pharmacy students' to elect pharmacy field and their future career
desire.

The source population of this study was the entire first, second and third year’s B. Pharm
students at Sharda University, School of Pharmacy from May 13th to May 31th 2019.

The study population of this study was B.Pharm students at Sharda University, Who were
present at School of Pharmacy during the study period.

Questioners that don’t completed with data on any of the following variables; Independent
variable (age, sex) and dependent variable (elect Pharmacy, Choice of School of Pharmacy,
Career Image, Future career ambitions, school experience of students).

Systematical random sampling was used and the data was filled by respondent his/her self.
After introducing the aim of the study questioner was distributed to each student that agreed
to fill the questioner. The questionnaire was developed based on articles written on factor
affecting pharmacy flied chooses of student and future career choose.

Data quality control issues will be ensured by giving orientation to student before starting
filling data. When the questionnaire returned, rough observation to all pages of questioner
will be done. The data was processed and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social
Sciences (SPSS) version 20; the findings were presented using figures and tables.

Ethical Consideration A letter was written by Sharda University, School of Pharmacy To

Whom It May Concern after Ethical committee approval. The name and identity of a
respondent was excluded from the questionnaire for the sake of confidentiality and to acquire
reliable information. The purpose of the study was described to the respondents that the study
is only for academic purpose and it might contribute to improvement of health care system.

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RESULT

Socio demographic

The response rate was 79.67% (98/123). Most of the students were male (61.22%), above
half of the respondents age were between 20 and 21, about 42.86% were 3rd year B. Pharm.
Most Students (73.5%) Hinduism in religion and 84.7% are Indians in nationality.

Table No. 1.Socio demographic of respondents

Male Female Total

Variable Categories P-value
(N=60) (N=38) (N=98)
2018-19 21 9 30
2017-18 14 12 26
Batch 0.445
2016-17 25 17 42
17-19 Years 9 10 19
20-21 Years 37 19 56
Age 22-23 Years 13 9 22
0.429
24-25 Years 1 0 1
Hinduism 45 27 72
Islam 12 6 18 0.788
Religion
Christianity 3 5 8
Indian Nationality 52 31 83
Asian (Other than Indian
1 1 2
Nationality) 0.788
Nationality
African Countries
7 6 13
Nationality

5.2. Motivations and Influences

Student mentioned subject teacher (86.73%) and careers teachers (77.55%) at school of
Pharmacy as their primary motivator. Visit to careers fairs/conference and careers leaflets
(77.6%) and booklets (62.2%) were also important cause motivation. Batch (P=0.047) of the
respondents and religion (P=0.006) were statistically significance associated to a careers
teacher at School of Pharmacy, Nationality (P=0.016) of respondents significant with a visit
to a careers fair / conference. Batch (P=0.003) of the respondents and religion (P=0.036)

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significant to Indian Pharmaceutical Society literatures. Other all listed below were not
significant (P >0.05) to batch, gender, age, religion and nationality of respondents. (Table 2)

Students were influenced by their family members (53.1%), pharmacist they know (39.8%)
and mostly made self-decision (63.3%) to join Pharmacy. (Figure 1)

Personal career goals influences student need to have a job with good career opportunities
(81.6%) and work in profession with good respected were personal career reason for study
pharmacy (77.6%), and ambition of own their own business (76.5%) are the main reason of
students to choose pharmacy as their study field. Batch of the respondents were significant (P
< 0.05) with most of statement mentioned below in (Table 3).

Figure No. 1. Who encouraged (influenced) student to study pharmacy

Figure No. 2. Expectation of salary after qualification in B. Pharm.

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Table No. 2. Reason Level of impotency each one was for you chosen to study
pharmacy.

P- value

Very important

Not Important

Nationality
Important
Reason

important

Religion
Slightly

Gender
Batch

Age
A subject teacher at School of Pharmacy 61 24 5 8 .686 .636 .620 .104 .351
A careers teacher at School of Pharmacy 46 30 11 11 .047 .866 .843 .006 .191
A visit to a careers fair / conference 36 40 9 13 .134 .735 .537 .742 .016
A visit to a university open day 29 39 13 17 .256 .106 555 .106 .100
A university booklet 19 42 23 14 .242 .241 .787 .823 .781
Indian Pharmaceutical Society literatures 29 42 11 16 .003 .492 .138 .036 .119
Radio and/or TV programme 19 40 20 19 .369 .531 .492 .626 .612
Careers leaflets or booklets 29 45 14 10 .174 .944 .645 .034 .267

Table No. 3. Reason(s) for student to study Pharmacy

Yes No P-Value

Nationality
Religion
Gender

Reason
% age

% age
Count

Count

Batch

Age

I liked science / wanted to study science based course 84 85.71 14 14.29 .319 .800 .883 .635 .542

I wanted a job with good career opportunities 80 81.63 18 18.37 .017 .991 .097 .009 .724

I wanted to work in a well-respected profession 76 77.55 22 22.45 .000 .816 .049 .806 .570

I wanted to own my own business 75 76.53 23 23.47 .363 .013 .500 .390 .615
I wanted a job where I am socially useful 71 72.45 27 27.55 .035 .101 .845 .206 .661
I thought pharmacy would be intellectually satisfying 70 71.43 28 28.57 .032 .600 .236 .337 .536
I wanted to work with patients 66 67.35 32 32.65 .245 .857 .131 .277 .596

I wanted flexible working hours 60 61.22 38 38.78 .383 .590 .849 .132 .788

I wanted the opportunity for part time work 41 41.84 57 58.16 .022 .223 .806 .049 .788

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5.3. Career Image

Approximately 73.5% participants stronger agreed and 24.5% agreed that they are proud to
tell others they are studying pharmacy. Also, nearly three fifth (59.2%) were strangely agreed
and 38.8% agreed that they are committed to the values and ideals of the pharmacy
profession. Also, nearly three fifth (59.2%) were strangely agreed and 38.8% agreed that they
will be a pharmacist an important part of who they want to be. Gender, Age and Nationality
of respondent (P > 0.05) were not significance relation with I am proud to tell others that I
am studying pharmacy, I am strongly committed to the values and ideals of the pharmacy
profession and Being a pharmacist is an important commitment of respondents to their future
career in Pharmacy. Batch and religion of respondents (P= 0.014) significance to response ‘I
am strongly committed to the values and ideals of the pharmacy profession’ (Table 4.)

Most of student 95.9% (strongly agreed and agreed) definitely wants a career in pharmacy.
Also, 86.7% (strongly agreed and agreed) assume as Pharmacy is the ideal profession for a
career for life. Approximately 29.6% of students regretted entering Pharmacy. Almost nearly
fourth-fifth (78.6%) intended to undertake second degree after completion B. Pharm. Batch,
religion and nationality of the respondents have no statistical significance ( P > 0.05) with
attitudes of B.Pharm students toward pharmacy as a career (Table 5).

Table No. 4. Commitment of student to career in pharmacy

P-Value
Disagree

Disagree
Strongly

Strongly

Nation
Agree
Agree

Commitment of student Batch gender Age Religion

ality
I am proud to tell others that I am
72 24 2 0 .190 .509 .604 .086 .474
studying pharmacy
I am strongly committed to the
values and ideals of the 58 38 2 0 .014 .474 .363 .014 .221
pharmacy profession
Being a pharmacist is an
important part of who I want to 54 42 2 0 .803 .383 .819 .208 .557
be

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Table No. 5. Attitudes of B.Pharm students toward pharmacy as a career

P-Value

Strongly Agree

Nationality
Disagree
Strongly
disagree

Religion
Attitudes of B.Pharm students

Gender
Agree

Batch

Age
I Definitely want a career in Pharmacy 56 38 3 1 .610 .557 .944 .966 .512
If I could do it all over again, I would
26 52 18 2 .304 .782 .894 .809 .539
choose to study for the same profession
Pharmacy is the ideal profession career
39 46 12 1 .590 .630 .267 .516 .220
for life
I regret that I entered pharmacy school 10 19 56 13 .337 .586 .010 .781 .672
I intend to undertake a second degree
38 39 19 2 .123 .017 .447 .751 .968
after completing pharmacy

5.4. Future career desires

Nearly one-fifth of pharmacy students intended to work in hospital/clinical/ community

Pharmacy after graduation. The next most common career options were Research and
Development (20.4%) and Industry (21.4%) respectively. Academic career (3%), Regulatory
Affairs (4.1%) and analytic, R&D and formulation (4.1%) were the less preferred career
options and they were only chosen by female respondents. Only about 5.1% of female
respondents are yet not sure for their future career area. Batch, age, religion and nationality
of the respondents have no statistical significance (P > 0.05) Attitudes of B.Pharm students
toward pharmacy as a career (Table 6).

Almost one-fourth of respondent have expectation of 30,000 - 39,999 Rupees salary at point
of starting career after qualify in B. Pharm and the next most expected salary as the beginners
were 20,000 Rupees and below (21.4%), 20,000 - 29,999 Rupees (17.35%) and 40,000 -
49,999 Rupees (17.35%) respectively. Almost, nearly three-fourth (71.4%) of respondent
expect salary more than 60,000 rupees.

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Table No. 6. Future career desires of students

Gender Total

frequency
Future career desires

Female

%
Male
Research & Development, R&D 9 12 21 21.4
Analytical, research and development and Formulation Development 0 4 4 4.1
QC, QA, Regulatory Affairs 0 4 4 4.1
Industry 16 4 20 20.4
Academia (University) 0 3 3 3.0
Sales & Marketing 7 2 9 9.2
Hospital / Clinical / Community Pharmacy 18 4 22 22.5
Own my own pharmacy business 10 0 10 10.2
Not sure yet 0 5 5 5.1
Total 60 38 98 100

5.5. Respondents experience as a student

About one-sixth 17 (17.3%) of students were considered to drop or change the course and
81(82.7%) have never experienced to drop or change the course. The main reason for the
student to consider or change was personal problem 10.2%. Also, other reasons were
mistaken choice of course 5.1% and academic difficult 2 %.

Approximately three-fourth (70%) of respondent’s family and friends thinking about them
Pharmacy has a guaranteed employment. Also (74%) respondent’s family and friends
thinking as Pharmacy job is well paid. Similarly, three-fourth (73%) respondent’s family and
friends thinking as Pharmacy are well respected by the general public. At least half of
respondents remark their family and friends don’t think as Pharmacists work long hours
(54%) and Pharmacists work under a lot of pressure (67%). (Table 7)

Students mentioned that almost three-fifth (61.2%) Medicine (Physician) has higher status
than Pharmacist in general public and 25.5% general public thinking that Pharmacists have
the same status with medicine. Also, Students cited about general public thinking as
Dentistry (35.7%), Health service manager (21.4%), Medical Laboratory Technology
(17.3%), Nursing (17.3%), and higher status than pharmacy. Similarly Students cited about

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general public thinking professional like Occupational Therapy (48%), Health Optometry
(49%), Podiatry Technology (50%), Radiology (51%), and Physiotherapy (57.1%) lower
status than pharmacist. In other category students stated that Dentist (42.9%), Medical
Laboratory Technology (38.8%) and Nursing (34.7%) have same status with Pharmacist
depending on general public views. (Table 8)

Figure No. 3. Student experience to consider drop/change course

Figure No. 4. Reasons of Pharmacy students experience to consider drop/change during

their study

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Table 7. What Family and friends thinking about Pharmacy

P-Value

Nationality
Religion
Gender
Batch

Age
True False

There is guaranteed employment

70 28 .179 .600 .515 .844 .658
in pharmacy
There are few opportunities for
promotion and career development 41 57 .186 .101 .350 .490 .674
in pharmacy
Pharmacy is a secondary
69 29 .350 .911 .649 .354 .542
profession to medicine
Pharmacy is a well-paid job 74 24 .177 .529 .403 .025 .344
Pharmacists spend all day
47 51 .958 .611 .483 .421 .571
dispensing prescriptions
Pharmacists work under a lot of
31 67 .971 .662 .355 .037 .712
pressure
Pharmacists work long hours 44 54 .451 .658 .352 .070 .078
Pharmacists are well respected by
73 25 .016 .884 .942 .699 .383
the general public

Table No. 8. General public status of Pharmacist compared with other health
professions.
status than

status than
pharmacy

pharmacy

pharmacy
status as

Profession
Higher

Don’ t
Lower

know
Same

Medical Laboratory Technology 17 38 36 7

Dentistry 35 41 18 4
Health service manager 21 42 27 8
Medicine (Physician) 60 25 12 1
Nursing 17 34 43 4
Occupational Therapy 13 27 47 11
Optometry 23 22 48 5
Physiotherapy 17 21 56 4
Podiatry 7 28 49 14
Radiology 13 30 50 5
Social work 13 32 40 13

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DISCUSSION

This study to assess factors influenced Pharmacy students' to elect Pharmacy field and their
future career desire among Sharda University School of Pharmacy and describe their
motivations, career image, future career desires and their experience as a student also
evaluated. The future career desire must take in consideration by stoke holder as the number
of pharmacy new graduates increasing every year, which need more job opportunists and
applicants within the pharmaceutical sector. Pharmacy undergraduates’ future career choices
and preparedness to enter different areas of practice within pharmacy have not as such been
addressed completely in India by previous literature, which may result in the unequal
distribution of pharmacist professionals across the practice areas. The study examined
pharmacy students’ future career choices and willingness to enter all available sectors in
which pharmacy students may practice, including hospitals, community pharmacies, R&D
centers, the pharmaceutical industry and etc. In addition, it provided information about
which factors the students considered important or less important when selecting their future
career. It also involved the students’ views, perceptions and attitudes. When students
prioritized their work choices, their favorites were inequitably distributed across different
career paths.

Factors influencing student’s decision to study Pharmacy were considered in three ways:
educational, personal, and career-related goals. Education related factors that influences
Students were Student mentioned subject teacher (86.73%) and careers teachers (77.55%) at
school of Pharmacy as their primary motivator. Visit to careers fairs/conference and careers
leaflets (77.6%) and booklets (62.2%) were also important cause motivation to study
Pharmacy. Study done in Dubai shown similar result.(Abduelkarem et.al 2016). The main
educational motivators were a subject teacher at school followed by career teacher. The least
was radio or TV educational program on Pharmacy. The fact that radio and TV programs
(60.2%) were the least mentioned educational factor indicates little public engagement about
pharmacy and its role in healthcare delivery. With little public knowledge about pharmacy as
in most developing countries specially most African countries (Ilodigwe EE 2010) University
authorities and pharmacy professional bodies such as the Pharmaceutical Society of India
should consider the frequent use of Social and mass media to increase public knowledge and
awareness about the profession. Such strategy is expected to help interest potential applicants

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into the profession. This result seems to be reliable with findings by Jesson and colleagues.
(Jesson J 2010)

Student mentioned subject teacher (86.73%) and careers teachers (77.55%) at school of
Pharmacy as their primary motivator. Visit to careers fairs/conference and careers leaflets
(77.6%) and booklets (62.2%) were also important cause motivation. Batch (P=0.047) of the
respondents and religion (P=0.006) were statistically significance associated to a careers
teacher at School of Pharmacy, Nationality (P=0.016) of respondents significant with a visit
to a careers fair / conference. Batch (P=0.003) of the respondents and religion (P=0.036)
significant to Indian Pharmaceutical Society literatures. Other all listed below were not
significant (P >0.05) to batch, gender, age, religion and nationality of respondents. (Table 2)

Students were influenced by their family members (53.1%), pharmacist they know (39.8%)
and mostly made self-decision (63.3%) to join Pharmacy.

Personal career goals influences student need to have a job with good career opportunities
(81.6%) and work in profession with good respected were personal career reason for study
pharmacy (77.6%), and ambition of own their own business (76.5%) are the main reason of
students to choose pharmacy as their study field. Batch of the respondents were significant (P
< 0.05) with most of statement mentioned below in (Table 2 & 3).

Personal related influences like interested to study science based course. Personal related
influences like interested to study science based course. Most students were either influenced
by their family members (53.1%), made self-decision (63.3%) and pharmacist they know
(39.8%) to join Pharmacy. Also, Personal career goals influences student need to have a job
with good career opportunities (81.6%) and work in profession with good respected (77.6%)
and ambition of own their own business (76.5%) were the main reason for students to elect
pharmacy as their study field to study pharmacy. Self-decision response to study Pharmacy
with gender was significantly associated in this study (P=0.017). Female student is made
self-decision to join Pharmacy flied than male students done. Past research studies done in
USA have shown similar result with my study, that students choose pharmacy as a major for
a variety of reasons.

These may include an interest in science, wanting to earn a high salary; a desire to help
people; gaining job or economic security; obtaining a respected career; and the influence of
individuals such as a family member, pharmacist, relative, or friends (Keshishian F 2011).

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My finding shown that most students made self-decision to study Pharmacy followed by
family and friends member were the important personal influences for choosing Pharmacy
contradict with previous results stated in the UK .( Jesson J 2010) and USA (Anderson Jr
2008) but similar with reports from studies carried out in the United Arab Emirates (Sharif
SI) and Malaysia ( Hasan SS). With regards to career-related goals, my finding suggests
that pharmacy students have reason to study Pharmacy to have job security, stability and the
image of the profession, humanity public service and little on opportunity for part time work.
This result also mirrors with the ones reported by Jesson and colleagues,( Jesson J 2010) but
contrasted with those reported by Sharif et al. (Sharif SI 2014) and (Willis et al. 2006)
Patient care, the image of the profession and community service are often mentioned as
important beliefs of most healthcare professions that attract public respect. (Willis et.al.,
Post SG).

My finding further confirms image of medicine as the most admired and valued health care
profession by the community as it is thought to save lives, promote and protect public health.
That is always medicine given the first status by general public compering with other health
professionals including Pharmacy field. Educational outreach platforms by mass media,
school visits, college fairs that target the general public and senior high school science
students are highly needed to increase awareness and transformation the general perception
of the public towards the profession. However, a change in public or social belief about the
profession of pharmacy goes beyond attractive the public but, also creation real actionable
changes to the way in which the pharmacy profession is currently trained. A pattern shift
from the traditional forms of training and practice of pharmacy to an expanded service model
that is more patient-centered will go a long way in shifting the negative perception of the
public. The recent change in the pharmacy curriculum from a product –focus to a more
patient-centered is a step in the right path. (James et.al.) Such a change in the manner of
learning will help yield capable pharmacy graduates that can contribute meaningfully to
patient care and public health. This will help improve the profession's image and contribute
to motivating students to select the profession of pharmacy.

Pharmacy student indicated an optimistic attitude towards the profession which is reliable
with earlier studies conducted in England (Wilson K et.al.), Ghana (Owusu-Daaku F et. al.)
and Ethiopia.( Beedemariam et. al.) The positive attitude demonstrated by these students
might be as an outcome of their present understanding of the nature and scope of the

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profession. Pharmacy instructors and other stakeholders do not only have the accountability
to educate students but the community as well.

Nearly one-fifth of pharmacy students intended to work in hospital/clinical/ community

Pharmacy (22.5%) after graduation. The next most common career options were Research
and Development (20.4%) and Industry (21.4%) respectively. Regulatory affairs (4.1%) and
Academic career (3%) were the less preferred career options and they were only chosen by
female respondents. Only about 5.1% of female respondents are yet not sure for their future
career area. No significance is seen in any of responses among the three batch (P=0.372),
nationality (0.051) and age (P=0.349). These results are in line with previous studies of
pharmacy students’ preferences regarding their future career conducted elsewhere
(Alhomoud FK et. al., 2019, Beedemariam et.al.,Walson et.al., Hasan SS et.al., Ubka CM et.
al., Shan G et.al. ) in which either hospital or community pharmacy was the preferred as first
career choice. As majority most student want to work direct in health institute to implement
their patient centered knowledge. Regulatory affairs jobs are only preferred by female
respondents and males are the only respondents who desire to own self business in
Pharmacy. In contrast study conducted university in Riyadh city of Saudi Arabia among final
year students, and this focused mainly on the pharmaceutical industry as a future career (Bin
Saleh, et al., 2015).

CONCLUSION

The ratio of males to female’s respondents in this study was 61% to 39% in Sharda
University; the proportion of male students was higher which need more investigation. The
most influencing factors students on preference of student to study Pharmacy were subject
teacher and careers teachers at school of Pharmacy as their primary motivator (education
related influences), Personal related influences like interested to study science based course
and personal career goals like student need to have a job with good career opportunities and
work in profession with good respected and ambition of own their own business. Most
students were either influenced by their family members, made self-decision, pharmacist and
least influenced by Radio and/or TV programme they know to join Pharmacy.

Nearly one-fifth of pharmacy students intended to work in hospital/clinical/ community

Pharmacy after graduation. The next most desired were career options were Research and
Development and Industry respectively. Regulatory affairs and Academic career were the

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least preferred career options and they were only chosen by female respondents. Only about
5.1% of female respondents are yet not sure for their future career area. No significance seen
in any of responses among the three batch (P=0.372), nationality (0.051) and age (P=0.349).

Generally, three main factors were influencing student to elect Pharmacy. The factors were
educational, personal, and career-related goals. The main future career desires of the students
after graduation were Hospital/clinical/community Pharmacies, R&D and Industries
respectively.

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